


Built On Souls

by imisskenric



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-25 08:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30086418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imisskenric/pseuds/imisskenric
Summary: No one, not a single person, can tell Priya Clearview exactly why she's involved in all of this. The journal, the hair clip, the group of six...
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Kenny's-Original-Works time! 
> 
> They've decided "why the fuck not?" and have now started to put out Built on Souls! :D
> 
> Built on Souls is an original work... that's all I can tell you. 
> 
> Enjoy the tiny ass prologue!

“Misellus!” My brother called me over, telling me about the newest round of souls he had selected for the competition.

“That’s wonderful. Which souls?” I pretended I wasn’t interested when I was actually hoping he wouldn’t say one name, and one name only.

He studied me as he listed them, “Portum, Satis, Fidelis, Celantur, Accipere-Gradum, and Occisor.”

I felt my heart drop out of my chest as he listed the name of my lover. He didn’t know about her, of course. He’d never let me end up with her over Dominus, his right-hand-man. I took an unsteady breath, breathing out the pain I felt, knowing she would never return to be mine.

In this system, you either die trying or return to work in Opus for the rest of eternity. I had hoped and prayed he wouldn’t choose her. It was always her that I cared for. None of the other souls had ever caught my attention like that.

“Those are good choices, Metentis. I wish you luck in your competition. May you gather the souls from the Amator Set,” I nodded as a cracked smile spread across my cheeks, just as I knew he wanted.

He nodded in satisfaction and dismissed me from his presence for me to do as I wished, much as he always did. Every time he draws the souls, he tries to find one that will cut deeper than usual, and this time he hit his mark. He’d never know about Occisor, I refused to let her go so easily.

I snuck out the back exit, making my way to Occisor under the cover of the darkness that had fallen outside. She had waited for me, clenching the first secret letter I had ever given her, scarlet seal and all. I held her through her tears and promised her I would help her somehow.

I set out to plot their victory that night.

I rigged the competition. I didn’t have a choice. It’s all for her. This competition is awful. Putting an end to it might only work if she wins. If they all win. It’s built on souls, is it not?


	2. To Start...

Priya Clearview rose from her chair in Tarragon Apothecary and made her way to the window carefully, observing the protest outside. A young woman stood near the back of the crowd, talking to the man next to her quietly. She had bright red hair, which she tossed like it was annoying her. The man near the woman was talking to the boy next to him, bouncing between the two conversations.

The crowd was light, only a few debates echoed through the square. Priya picked up a few men and women here and there pushing toward each other with aggression. It was cloudy and cold. Priya noted each of the members of the crowd had red noses and curled their fingers in to try to keep warm. The color seemed to be drained from the square as the crowd grew. 

The entire crowd seemed to tense all at once. As Priya searched for the culprit of the tension, her eyes landed on Alastor Evans. He stood in the middle of Quill Square and spoke to the crowd, though Priya couldn’t tell what was being said through the window of her shop.

As the crowd surged toward him, Priya took a step outside the shop, now interested in what was being said. She usually tried to stay out of these types of things, but her curiosity had gotten the best of her. It was another protest against Queen Latoya, just as Priya had suspected. There seemed to be more conflicts between the two opposing sides as days went on, leaving a thick feeling of tension hanging in the air as the citizens of Portum bustled to and from their workplaces.

The usually glowing town had turned dark and dull as the riots grew more violent. Quill Square’s once gorgeous greenery had wilted like it could sense the anger and hatred floating between the two parties. The once busy booths selling produce, jewelry, and everything in between, are now home to a vague emptiness that set the entire town on edge.  
Priya reminisced on the good days, remembering the bubbling fountain and the flowers that framed the edges of her vision. She missed the cheerful conversations she used to hear, the florists that showed off their flowers, and the customers that stopped by. That was her favorite part, citizens of Portum openly showing one another affection. Nowadays, it doesn't happen often. The flowers were a thing of the past, much like the peace and warm atmosphere Quill Square used to carry. 

The square was named after the executioner, Quill Dinev. When the square had been named, he had been the king’s advisor, working alongside Corey Tuffin, but after the king’s death, resigned to an executioner’s position. It seems dark to honor someone who takes the lives of so many innocent people. It seemed sweet at the time to honor him and all he had done for the royal family.  
Priya snapped back to attention as she followed the movement in the corner of her eye. She was now watching as the royal advisor and the executioner made their way through the crowd, looking for something or someone. The young boy fled at the sight of them, seemingly without reason. 

As Priya started to theorize to keep herself entertained, an argument broke out over Queen Latoya’s methods with the military, and two men took to fighting. The fistfight was brief as the young woman and the man jumped in and broke them apart, which resulted in a few minor injuries between the four of them. A split lip here and bruise or so there, it was among the more peaceful brawls Priya had watched. As quickly as the fight started, it diffused. Priya watched the two men that had caused the conflict move away quietly. She moved toward the woman and the man, asking them to join her in her shop for treatment. The woman had an odd smile on her face, almost blissful. The man was shifting uncomfortably like he thought he was going to be scolded by Priya like he was a child. 

As Priya examined the two of them, she let her curiosity get the best of her and asked, “What happened between those men?” 

The young woman glanced at the man before answering, “A disagreement about the queen and royal family. It was stupid.” She was blunt about her opinion on the conflict.  
Priya took a look at the woman and watched as her eyebrows knit in confusion. The silence stretched between the two of them as she memorized the curl of her red hair and the glimmer of excitement hiding behind her soft brown eyes. She seemed to be unable to sit still and tapped her foot at a constant rate during this silent and awkward analysis.  
She turned to the man and searched him for anything odd. His thin frame and baggy clothes made him look like a woman dressing as a man. His cheekbones were high, and his eyebrows looked drawn on. He seemed to shift and mold under her gaze, becoming what she wanted him to be. In a single moment, he looked exactly like Queen Latoya. Priya brushed it off with a shake of her head.

When Priya finally answered, the uncomfortable energy evaporated. “I agree, it was stupid.” 

The subject changed almost instantly as Priya finished examining the wounds. “It seems you’ve both just got a couple of bruises from the tussle. I’ll grab you some arnica ointment from the backroom to help with inflammation and swelling.”

“Thank you, Ms. Clearview,” the woman responded, letting a soft smile spread across her cheeks, despite the beginnings of a bruise. 

“I’m just doing my job, Ms…” she trailed off as she realized she didn’t know the names of her company.

“Savannah Bancroft,” she informed Priya, then answered for the man next to her, “This is Jacob Wilson.”

“Thank you. I’ll bring the ointment out in a moment,” Priya headed to the back to pick up the ointment. 

She listened in on their small talk and light flirting. The man’s voice was familiar, but Priya couldn’t figure out why. He reminded her of the queen, but that’s quite impossible.  
Priya shook off the feeling as she returned to the front, bringing two small pots of arnica ointment with her. Savannah and Jacob paid her for the treatment, taking the ointment as they left Tarragon Apothecary. Savannah was thanking Priya profusely.

The interaction didn’t sit well with Priya. It was too out of the blue, and almost weird. With that said, there wasn’t a lot that was normal in this town. Ever since the exile of Prince Yarin, everything had been out of the ordinary, and it was only getting worse as time went on. Priya shook off the feeling as she returned to her work, preparing replacements for the ointments she had given to Savannah and Jacob.

The day spiraled once again as Corey Tuffin and Quill Dinev appeared on Priya’s doorstep, asking to talk to her. They walked briskly. Quill was tense, gripping Corey’s shoulder like they might run off at any moment. Corey looked frazzled and jumpy, relying on Quill’s hand to keep them steady. 

Priya looked up and made eye contact with the two of them as Corey asked, “Ms. Clearview, have you seen Queen Latoya?”


End file.
